


The Modern Crystal

by Kiwi_Strawberry_Banana



Category: The Dark Crystal (1982), The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: Alternate Timeline, Angry bois, But the Skeksis never drained the Gelfling, Eventual Happy Ending, Everyone lives, Hurt/Comfort, Lots of plot, Many story archs, No Gelfling war, There were other wars, Very long, Will put warnings before each chapter, animal cruelty, modern day AU, not good with tags, still has magic, tags to be added later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:33:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22693336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiwi_Strawberry_Banana/pseuds/Kiwi_Strawberry_Banana
Summary: Modern Day AU.All 16 Skeksis and all 16 Mystics lived for the Crystal to be reunited, only for things to go unexpectedly.As life on Thra is in an advanced age and the Gelfling are at the highest they have ever been as a society, everything that has been the same for a thousand years is going to change drastically.(Aka what if the Skeksis and Mystics had cellphones and had to figure their lives out.)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49





	1. The Crystals plan

The day had been like so many days before in the land of Thra. Gelfling were bustling about, hopping aboard carriages and making use of their technology gifted to them by the Skeksis lords as they went about their lives and their daily duties. The Maudras were meeting with their council once more, going over the day to day duties, while the All Maudra convened with her own court, sifting through the plans for the next tithing ceremony.

Life was moving steadily in Thra, progressively and quickly. Yes, the day was like so many other days before it. And yet, so different in how the clouds overhead seemed to churn and darken, how small childlings seemed more scared and cried more often, how the various animals that called Thra home would bark and hiss out at some unseen force.

Yes, on this day, death was looming in the air so heavily that the taste was palpable. The Skeksis Lords that had been so wildly praised were hidden away in the Castle of the Crystal, having shooed away every Gelfling guard and Podling servant, shooing them away from what is forbidden to see.

A Skeksis laid dying; the Emperor himself, skekSo. Years of experimenting with dark forces had ravaged his body, leaving him little more than a rasping shell of his former self. Even so, while some Skeksis whispered about his demise, already chattering about who would be the next Emperor, some still remained loyal.

"Cease your whispers and bow before your Emperor!" Yelled skekVar the General, his voice booming in the bed chambers.

While the Skeksis bowed, all watching and waiting for the Emperors demise, they were unaware of the two that stood before the Crystal of Truth, missing shard in hand, glittering under the light.

The two that stood before it were old, even older than the Skeksis themselves; Aughra, the voice of Thra herself, and her son, Raunip, who was believed by all to be dead and gone long, long ago. Yet he lived, having plotted for this day with his mother for many Trine.

"Will it work, mother?" Raunip asked, skepticism clear on his burnt, deformed face.

"Will or won't, never know the answer until we try, now will we?" Aughra responded, voice hushed and low for fear of discovery.

With a nod and a deep breath, Raunip climbed atop the Crystal of Truth, feeling the energy inside as it swirled with purple energy. Despite the dark light that radiated from the Crystal, it gave no heat and, instead, felt cold and empty, the mere feeling of touching it making Raunip feel as though his very being was being torn in two.

Carefully as he could, he climbed until he reached the top, finding the spot where a hole was made and the Crystal splintered. He pressed a hand against it, remembering so long ago when once great, luminous beings looked to the very Crystal beneath him with such hope, only to become ripped apart and split down the middle, becoming two things that were never meant to be.

"May the wrong be made right…" Raunip said finally as he pressed the shard into the Crystal, right when the Emperor was taking his final breaths.

What would have happened next, what should have happened was for the Crystal to return to its pure state, for the Skeksis and Mystics to reform once more into their single, luminous forms as Urskeks.

What happened next was nothing of the sort.

Both Raunip and Aughra hadn't taken into account just how much the Skeksis had twisted the Crystal of Truth over the thousand of trine that they had it in their dark talons. The purple, malicious energy that had accumulated had taken much of the energy out of Thra.

Even if they wished it, the Crystal was simply too weak to reunite the Skeksis and Mystics.

There was something else that they hadn't taken into account as well; they had not considered what Thra and the Crystal of Truth would decide. Even Aughra, with how connected she was to Thra, had become nearly deaf to its song in her pursuit to heal the Crystal that she had once guarded.

When the shard was finally reunited with the Crystal, Raunip had been knocked off by the cascade of energy that had poured out and stretched throughout all of Thra. Such energy was felt in the heartiest of Landstriders and smallest of Pluff'ms, in every Gelfling and Podling. The energy was especially felt within the Skeksis and Mystics, all 32 of them, even those long isolated and forgotten about.

A feeling like a hand, so gentle and firm, reached within each Skeksis and each Mystic. The feeling prodded at their memories, their thoughts, their innermost desires. Even the Emperor and the Master, so close to death, felt the brush, felt the pull like a warm blanket, like a gentle embrace.

As Thra had done for the son of Aughra, it did for the cruel Skeksis and the kind Mystics; it accepted them and all that they were.

Though their origins were not of Thra, the Skeksis and Mystics had been taken from a luminous being and had been molded by Thra, given life through a Crystal that had once promised a way home.

And now, it gives that way home once again, but in a new way. It gave the option of life on Thra, life amongst its plants and creatures, life everlasting. It could not grant reunification, even if desired, nor could it absolve all the dark crimes that had been committed.

But Thra could offer a second chance, even to the most wicked and twisted.

Talons and calloused hands reached out to that promise, reached out for a home, reached out to live.

When the light finally faded, when Raunip and Aughra could look at the Crystal once more in all of its radiant beauty, both also looked at it with an unease of the changes to come.

Both uncertain of the path that is now laid before them.


	2. A new world

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Skeksis come to and begin to make some startling revelations.  
> Aughra is helpful. Probably.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animal cruelty mention this chapter.

A dream would have been easy to pass off. The feeling that had run through their bodies, kind yet stern, warm yet cold, old yet new. Words that were never spoken yet so clear, like a song that is sung only in the whispers of the wind. Yes, such ideas could only be a dream, a dream and nothing more.

Yet when the Skeksis opened their eyes, all aware of their sudden collapse on the ground, such dreams were quickly becoming reality as they looked at one another, dumbstruck and bewildered.

Young. That was their very first thought. They all looked so young! Not as young as when they were first formed, but they all gawked as their skin was no longer sunken and sad, as their eyes glowed with color that they had thought lost, as their hair and feathers were bright and thick, the grey having been long gone.

The Crystal was their second thought as they chattered away, voices squawking in a volume and pitch that none had heard for well over 500 trine, perhaps more. They all heard the whispers, but could it be true? Youth, immortality, all they had dreamed of finally come true?

A series of painful sounding coughs quickly quieted the chatter as all eyes fell to the Emperor, still in his bed.

Yes, they quickly remembered, the Crystal had whispered about many things when they felt its gentle touch. It whispered about a home, life everlasting, about many, many things in a time that felt like eternity and one second all at once.

Yet the Crystal also gave dark, hushed tones to the Skeksis, warning them that dark deeds will not go unpunished, that it cannot mend all that was broken.

The Skeksis saw first hand how the Scientist and the Slave Master still missed limbs and appendages, they saw it in how the Treasurer still stuttered about, holding his head when a headache suddenly overtook him.

They especially saw it, however, with their Emperor in all his youthful, emaciated glory.

In such youth, skekSo had been the loveliest of them all, even lovelier than the Ornamentalist as his black and purple feathers would glisten in even the dimmest of lights, how his striking grey eyes contrasted the purple shadows that accompanied his sharp features.

The Emperor that laid before them, hacking away a disgusting fluid onto his red blankets as he sat up, clutching tightly to the fabrics, was a mere shell of such memories. Beneath his dark hair and feathers, thick, purple marks marred his entire body, popping up like veins in some places. His eyes had become an unnatural purple that looked as though it was swirling if one looked long enough. The beak that he had once been so proud of was as shriveled as it had been mere moments before, glistening with mucus that dribbled down as he coughed.

But most of all, the Emperor before them looked frail, perhaps even more so than he had been before mere moments before all had expected him to die.

Despite how frail he looked, all still cowered as he glared up at them all, his striking purple eyes having a new wave of intimidation to them. Those eyes surveyed the room, taking time to analyze every last Skeksis.

Those eyes saw as the Ornamentalist continuously played with his hair, now a more striking, natural red and flowing past his feathers. He watched as the Scientist felt the smoothness of his skin beneath the various scars and wires that were incorporated into his body.

And when he saw Aughra stand at the doorway alongside the deformed figure of her son, those eyes narrowed with a deep, deep hatred, one that made all the Skeksis in the room stiffen and turn as well, gasping and shrieking at who they saw.

"It's her!"

"Raunip, her son, he lives!"

"What did you do?!"

The shrieks and questions were a cacophony in the bed chamber that they were crowded within.

Such noise did not sit well with the Emperor.

"Quiet, all of you!" His voice boomed in the room.

All went silent and turned to him. Partly out of respect, partly out of surprise by how strained his voice sounded. They watched as another coughing fit overtook his body and none stopped her when Aughra made her way to the side of the bed.

None save for skekVar, who still stood loyally by the Emperors side despite his clear weakness, blocking Aughra from getting past him.

"What do you want, hag?" He snorted out, glaring daggers into both Raunip and Aughra. Both were unperturbed, Aughra more so as she just huffed at the General.

"Want to make sure he doesn't die before hes had the chance to live! Aughra doesn't have to be that kind, you know?" The statement made him back up a bit, but he still didn't budge.

"Be concise, Mother Aughra." The Ritual Master asked, though his tone was more annoyed than pleading.

With another humph and with a shaky wave from skekSo, skekVar moved out of the way for Aughra to reach the Emperor as she continued.

"Had plans for the Crystal, I did. Crystal, however, had plans too. Would have been nice if it told me, wouldn't it?"

The Emperor gave her a weak glare as he sniffled, wiping the purple mucus from his nose with his blanket. Aughra gave him a sneer in return.

"But no, Crystal didn't tell me, not until Crystal already made its own plans. Gave you more than you'll know what to do with!"

When she spoke, Aughra looked only at skekSo and, in return, he looked only at her despite the whispers and chatter that were happening amongst the Skeksis. The gears in his head had been turning since he was awake enough to think and the words that Aughra spoke were merely adding fuel to the fire.

"We heard the Crystal. It spoke of immorality and second chances, but also consequences that we will face." The Scientist spoke up when none of the other Skeksis would, seeming to have a newfound confidence in seeing Aughra.

She gave a gruff grunt in affirmation.

"Living forever isn't as pretty as it sounds. Living so long is less pretty with all the feelings that you've been given."

Aughra poked the Emperors arm for emphasis at the end, earning her a weak hiss from the dilapidated Skeksis before he broke out in another coughing fit. When Aughra hummed this time, it was much softer and almost sad.

"What do you mean 'what we've been given'?" The Garthim Master spoke, his fangs bared at Aughra.

"When the Crystal reached out and gave you this gift of immortality, it also gave you pieces that had been missing when you were formed." Raunip finally spoke up, knowing his mother would likely just anger the already frazzled Skeksis further.

"There is a new strength carried in your bodies, but one that will eat you alive without guidance."

"You sound like those blasted Mystics with the way you talk!" skekUngs voice boomed, his fangs dripping with drool.

Taking over once more, Aughra quickly turned to the Ornamentalist and pointed a finger at him.

"You. Remember those birds? Many of them, a hundred, killed for a cloak. Remember?"

Though startled, skekEkt quickly nodded. Aughra and Raunip could already see how he tensed at the mention of the birds, how his eyes widened and looked around the room suddenly, as though confused or torn on how to feel.

"Tell Aughra, how do you feel? Many birds, all gone, all dead, because of you."

All eyes were on skekEkt as Aughra spoke. All of them were so familiar with the feather cloak story and how much the Ornamentalist bragged about it that they had all rolled their eyes and resigned themselves to hear his high pitched, squeaky voice go on and on about how he ripped every individual feather off the birds while they were still alive, listen as he would try to imitate the sound the birds made as they called out in pain and the sounds they made when their necks were finally snapped.

When silence rang through the bedchambers, all were confused. Even more so at how skekEkt was reacting. His mouth twitched up and down as though he was trying desperately to force a smile as his beak opened and closed again, words lost in his throat.

The Gourmand, ever the close one, put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, giving the Ornamentalist a gentle shake. That was all it took for the tears to start to drop from his eyes as he covered his face with his gloved hands, his usual shrill wails so soft and quiet in the bedchamber.

The other Skeksis found themselves looking at one another. Such display of emotion for no reason, even by the Ornamentalist, should be met with harsh jabs and cruel hissing. None came, not even from skekUng or skekNa despite how the two glared and sneered at skekEkt as he quietly cried while the Gourmand held him.

Aughra, meanwhile, just gave a slow nod of her head as she looked around the room.

"Emotions were twisted and torn apart when you split. You had them, felt them all wrong. Same as the Mystics. Now, you feel them normally. Not so twisted. Not so familiar either." She spoke, all Skeksis eyes on her as she approached a still crying Ornamentalist, gently patting his back.

"Still not the nicest lot. If you'll be, whose to say. Not Aughra. Though Aughra will have much to say, much to change." She turned to leave the room only for the Garthim Master to finally speak up again.

"What do you mean you'll have much to change? What are you planning?!" His voice was louder than even the Emperors had been earlier, making many Skeksis flinch at the volume, yet Aughra merely turned with the same stern look she had had when she arrived.

"Crystal can change plans. So can Aughra. So can Skeksis."

With a firm nod she left the room, Raunip in tow, leaving the Skeksis to collect themselves until they showed up to the Crystal once more.


	3. A new age

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mystics come to and are puzzled by new revelations.  
> UrMa is happy to see urSu.

When whispers and prophecies visited the Urru, they were quick to listen and accept, as they often were. The light that enveloped their minds and bodies alike was a familiar one, yet not the light that they had foreseen. This light was much weaker than the one that had caused their creation in the first place, a light that could not grant them unity, but could, instead, give acceptance and a second chance.

Even so, they still embraced the gift that Thra brought to them, accepting it in the same slow, apathetic way that the Mystics accepted everything. It embraced them as equally as it had embraced nearly all the Skeksis, giving them a new life with reminders of the past, as well as bestowing all that had been lost in the split.

As the Urru began to awaken, all still having been in the middle of their respective duties, they quickly realized that the apathy they had felt… Wasn't there. Or perhaps it was, hidden under the veil of youth and newness that had been gifted upon the Mystics.

Soft, quiet murmurs rang through the Valley, all taken aback by the vast changes that had come over them, taking it all in with waves of emotion, familiar and unfamiliar alike. They hadn't anticipated just how much they would feel changed and how motivated they would feel.

For the first time in hundreds of trine, they could stand fully, no longer crouched beneath their own weight and age. The Chanter, especially, was excited to have a chance to be taller after spending so long being the shortest Mystic.

He was still the shortest, but the newfound height gave him a boost of confidence that he was never lacking.

With their height and the speed of their youth, they all rushed to the Masters room. Aside from urIm standing outside the door, all the other Mystics had let him be before the Crystal was reformed. UrSu didn't want them to watch him die and they respected him enough to stay away.

Yet, as they reached the door, the Urru felt both relief and worry upon hearing coughing from within the Masters room and no Healer in sight.

The first to look in was the Peacemaker, always having been closest to urSu. Upon being sent away from the Masters chambers when his time was drawing near, urMa had sulked back to his room, quietly sobbing away from the other Mystics. Even now, there were still fresh tears in his eyes as he looked inside, his expression teetering between joy and distress.

Wordlessly, he slowly entered the room, accidentally hitting his head on the top of the doorway as he entered. The other Mystics waited around the door, not wanting to overwhelm urSu. They were all simply glad that he was still with them, though he still sounded so terribly ill. 

"Master?" UrMa quietly spoke as he approached the bed where the Master still laid, breathing laboriously as urIm went about checking his body.

As he approached, urMa felt a deep fear well up inside him, scared that urSu would turn him away again. Even though he had regained his youth, his white hair having gone back to its natural black and his wrinkled skin becoming smoother, the Master still looked so feeble and ill. And urMa knew just how much urSu detested being seen when he was ill. 

Perhaps urSu could sense the Peacemakers worries, or perhaps he simply didn't have the energy to shoo him or any of the other Mystics away. Whatever the reason, urSu just feebly lifted a hand from the bed he was laying on, shakily beckoning urMa in before the hand plopped down on the bed once more.

That is all it took for urMa to rush forward, standing on the side of the bed that urIm UrIm wasn't at so that he didn't disrupt the Healers work. 

"How are you feeling, Master?"

A few Mystics looked at one another, knowing that such a question seemed a bit foolish to ask given urSus clearly ill state. Even so, none of them said as much, knowing the question was more for urMas peace of mind.

As he always did, urSu tilted his head towards urMa, giving him a slow, gentle smile that only the Peacemaker seemed to pull out of him.

"Unwell, Peacemaker. Yet, well enough, for I am still here." A coughing fit rang through the room, phlegm landing on the ground despite urIm trying to hold a cloth to urSus mouth.

Giving an apologetic glance to the Healer, urSu continued.

"And, as you have all gathered, I know there will be many questions-" he barely finished before he began coughing again, this time having the cloth held up to his mouth in time.

"Questions can wait, Master. We have plenty of time." UrMa said quietly, holding one of urSus hands as urIm gently shooed a few other Mystics that tried entering the room.

Though most of the other Mystics had begun to move about the Valley, getting used to their younger bodies, a few stayed by urSus room, not entering due to urIm. The Chanter had sneakily entered, however, wrapping an arm around a clearly distressed urMa, keeping the Peacemaker from accidently getting in the way of the Healers work. That much urIm could accept.

Away from the room, a few Mystics had gathered in the center of the Valley, discussing with one another the changes that had transpired, as well as those that are soon to come.

"What is on your mind, urZah?" urSen asked from where they sat next to urAc, looking between the Ritual Guardian and the sand painting that was on the ground.

The other Mystics had stopped their quiet conversations to look at urZah. As the most stoic of the Urru, even the slightest change in expression usually meant something big. Given how his brow was furrowed, all were quickly intrigued as to what could be on the Ritual Guardians mind.

"Monk, look at the sand painting." He spoke curtly and without the usual riddles that plagued his every sentence.

Not only urSen, but the other surrounding Mystics too looked at the sand painting on the ground. They, too, furrowed their brows as they gazed upon it.

"Why does it seem… Off?" UrAc asked, eyes never leaving the swirls of oranges, reds, and whites.

Usually, all a Mystic would have to do would be to merely glance at the sand paintings for prophecy, perhaps chant if they were less magically inclined. Yet everything about the sand painting felt fuzzy and filtered, almost dull in a way.

"I'm going to go to retrieve some leaves, perhaps-"

UrZah couldn't finish his sentence before a small rumbling came from the direction of the main workrooms. Everyone, even those near urSus room, quickly looked to see a large amount of smoke coming out of the Alchemy room, with the Alchemist himself coming out of the room, coughing profusely and covered in black ash.

"Alchemist, what happened?" UrUtt called from where he was near the Masters room, as perplexed as the other Mystics.

UrTih hadn't made anything explode since the beginning of their time in the Valley, and even then it had never been so severe.

Clearing his throat, urTih rubbed the ash from his eyes, approaching the Masters room as he looked around, head tilting side to side in thought.

"We can't hear inside your head, Alchemist." UrIm called from the Masters doorway, having stood there since he heard the explosion.

Hearing his title startled urTih from his thoughts. He cleared his throat once more before speaking.

"Yes, apologies. The dosage of podol powder was just right and then the spark from-"

"Simplify it, urTih." UrIm spoke up again before heading back into the Masters room.

"Of course. Well, everything was as it should be, but when I made the sigil to complete the experiment, which should have resulted in the creation of Kostorovel liquid, it…"

UrTih trailed off, unable to find the words. The Valley was silent, waiting for him to finish.

"It didn't work."

All eyes turned to urZah, whose eyes still looked to his sand painting, eyes boring into it as though that would somehow change what he saw. Or, rather, what he couldn't see.

"Correct, it didn't work." UrTih agreed, still wiping the ash off his face.

Another coughing fit came from urSus room, all the Urru looking silently, all of them thinking about what to make of the issues with their magic. A few were even trying for themselves how their own magic was, humming lowly in vain attempts.

Once the coughing was silenced, urMa poked his head out of the room, looking out to the other Mystics.

"Master needs to talk with all of us. Come, quickly." He spoke fast and loud before retreating back into the room.

Perplexed as to why they were being summoned so urgently when they had been shooed away, the Mystics quickly made their way to the Masters room, hoping that they would be able to have some discussions this time.

And, possibly, some answers.


	4. Every moment that one is two...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not all are happy with what Thra has given.  
> Even so, Thra shows mercy when it can.

When Thras light spread throughout the land, it reached high and low, touching the sky and soaking into the ground. With its reach, it searched for every Skeksis and Urru that lived, finding many in the Castle or the Valley, while many more were hidden deep in caves or forests, or even out in the seas with no land for miles around.

The light from the Crystal even reached two that were thought long gone, yet lived, hidden away in a land of sands, high atop in a cave where they had lived their lives together for nearly 400 trine. Two that were meant to be one and wanted nothing more than to be a single luminous form as they had been 999 trine ago.

When the light reached the two that dwelled within, instead of the acceptance that all had given it, desperate to continue to live, the light instead found resistance and denial.

What the two were being given was a second chance, new lives in exchange for being forever split apart. The two in the desert cave cried, for they would rather die than never be together. Even in their old age, barely able to move, they still clung to one another, clung to the idea of unity.

Thra pitied the creatures, as they were all one another had left, their desire for unity being all that remained. The only two that wished for such unity rather than seeing it as a second death or accepting unity apathetically.

Even so, there was no energy to bestow unity on the two that desired it so, and to deny them a second chance would mean denying all Skeksis and Urru. There was no going back, not after so many had accepted the gift.

So it was with force that the two within the cave were bathed in the same energy that the others had accepted, still crying in voices cracking with age.

And though the Crystal could not give them unity, it had pitied the two enough to grant them a small mercy so that they may live more fulfilling lives.

\---

The clatter of metal against the stone floor echoed through the cave. Though they had just awoken, skekGra and urGoh still found their hands held tightly to one another as they had been mere moments before the horrifying warmth had come for them.

They were still in their shared bed, as they had been for days. The two had known their end was approaching, age and old wounds catching up to them, yet they had still held out hope for the Great Conjunction, for the Crystal to give them the unity they had searched for for so long.

Yet as they still held one another's hands, fingers gently rubbing to find the skin much smoother than it had been mere moments ago, as they could feel their bones no longer ached and their muscles no longer felt weak in even the smallest of movements, they knew that unity would not happen, that the whispers and promises from the Thra had been true.

It was skekGra who looked first, turning his head slowly to look at the Mystic lying by his side. The Wanderer in his youth was as much of a sight to behold as he was in his old age, at least to the Heretic. His wrinkles were mostly gone, his hair the deep, dark black that it had been so long ago, during a time when the Conqueror sowed destruction across the land and the Wanderer looked at him with hate filled eyes.

When urGoh turned his head, however, he looked at skekGra with wide eyes filled with love and sorrow, the hate that was once there long gone. Seeing his eyes like that just made skekGras stomach twist more, still reeling from his emotions. SkekGra flinched at feeling a gentle hand caress his cheek, startled by how fast urGoh moved. He had slowed down immensely after skekGras banishment, likely an effect of the nail that had been lodged in the Heretics head upon his exile; A punishment meant for one and felt by two.

He flinched further when urGohs hand trailed up his head, approaching where the nail was. SkekGra panicked and grabbed a hold of urGohs wrist, knowing that his wonder had promised long ago to never touch that spot unless given permission.

"It's okay… Trust me…" urGoh spoke at a speed that, while still slow, was faster than skekGra had heard in a long time.

Still shaken up, but willing to trust his Mystic, skekGra let go of the wrist he was holding, mumbling an apology when he realized just how tightly he was holding it.

UrGohs hand gently traced upwards towards the top of skekGras head, towards the nail and all the painful memories that came with it. Preparing himself, skekGra screwed his eyes shut, preparing for the dull pain that always followed when the nail was touched…

Instead, fingers gently rubbed the top of his head, through the thick hair, blunt fingernails scratching ever so slightly. The feeling made skekGras eyes blow wide open as he looked to urGoh. The Wanderer was smiling wider than he had in nearly a hundred trine.

With a shaky hand, skekGra slowly brought it up to meet urGohs hand at the top of his head. A part of him was still riled up from what they had been told by Thra and another part of him was still in painful denial. But as he touched the top of his head without pain, without a headache, without feeling the cold metal that had been lodged in there for four hundred trine, his emotions cascaded in a flurry that sent him to holding urGoh close and sobbing into his shoulder.

Though the Wanderer was much quieter in his emotions compared to his Skeksis, there was still the telltale shaking and quiet crying that came as he held on just as tightly to the Heretic, both needing to hold one another close.

They would talk, surely, but that is not what they needed. For now, all they needed was to have each other, to celebrate what has been given and to mourn what has slipped from their reach forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Don't worry, I promise these stories will have happy endings)


	5. Preparing to talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Many are gathered to learn what the Crystal has done, and are all waiting to listen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With no war between the Skeksis and Gelfling, many things have changed...
> 
> And are about to change even more.

The Skeksis whispered and muttered amongst themselves as they surrounded the Crystal, Aughra standing in front of the heart of Thra. The Emperor was still in his bed, not having the strength to handle leaving the bed, even with skekVar offering to carry him.

Raunip had been sent to talk to the Emperor and, after getting into a small spat with the General, managed to get past him and to the bedroom where skekSo was still wheezing and coughing purple phlegm on his bed.

"Skeksis!" Aughra announced over the chatter, quickly quieting the Skeksis as all eyes were on her.

"Hmph. Loud, squabbling. Be quiet now! Aughra has much to say. Crystal did too, but Crystal didn't say it to Aughra, did it?!" She scolded as she looked at the Crystal, reminiscent of a Gelfling mother reprimanding her childling.

"Get on with it, witch." skekUng snarled, his feathers standing up on end.

Earning a "bah" from Aughra, the mother of Thra threw her hands in the air.

"Trying to! If Skeksis would stop talking, Aughra could get on with it!"

Though he growled lowly and angrily enough that the few Skeksis near him gave skekUng some space, he still didn't say anything else, nor did the other Skeksis.

"Hmph, good. Now that Skeksis are quiet, Aughra will soon talk!"

\---

All the Urru that had just now reached the Masters room found themselves greatly surprised at the Mystic that had found his way to urSus side, right next to urMa and urSol, his once grey hair now a light brown as he stood his full height, bow still in hand.

"The Archer is here." urSol exclaimed, though there was no need since the other Urru could clearly see urVa.

He hadn't visited the Valley in nearly a hundred trine, so for him to appear now was truly a welcomed surprise for the other Urru, who were equally surprised at his youthful look.

UrVa had always been the most beautiful Mystic. A few of them felt their mouths go dry as they looked at him.

"It is good to see you all again." urVa smiled as he spoke, his words genuine.

"As it is good to see you, old friend." urAmaj replied from the doorway, "When did you get here?"

"I got here about the time urTihs laboratory exploded."

That got a few quiet chuckles from the other Urru, the Alchemist himself laughing the loudest.

"And elusive as ever, we can see." urZah added, exhaling loudly in his own way of laughing.

"Apologies, force of habit." urVa spoke before being interrupted by urSu going through another coughing fit.

The other Urru allowed silence as their Master coughed, a rag held to his face by a worried urIm. They all had seen that their past injuries were not healed just from seeing urNol and urTih. Even so, they were all worried that, in some ways, urSu looked even worse than he had before the Crystal peered within them.

Once the coughing had subsided, the Peacemaker looked around to the others before looking back to urSu.

"Perhaps now would be best to continue, Master?" urMa inquired, holding one of urSus young yet calloused hands.

For a moment, all urSu could do was wheeze, his eyes shut. The others had thought that perhaps he had passed out or fallen asleep, but then the Master took a deep breath in and out slowly, gathering himself before speaking, his voice still rough and gravely.

"Yes. This may take some time, but please bear with me…"

\---

Insistent tapping came from the end of the ink pen as Brea looked at her journal, her notes having quickly ended. She had tried desperately to pass the time, but with nothing left to do she was left with her own thoughts.

Her sister was late for the quarterly report. Seladon was never late, she was punctual to a fault. Even with how much she detested Brea being on the council, Seladon was still as courteous of an All-Maudra as she could be, even in privacy. That courteousness didn't stop the glares or the mountain of paperwork she would give Brea out of spite, but she was still courteous nonetheless.

So courteous that she was never late. Except for today.

When she heard footsteps approaching Brea looked up, expecting to see Seladon walking down the hallway, stupid shiny crown on her stupid shiny head. Instead, Brea felt her thoughts stop and all words lost as a familiar face smiled at her, as warm and gently as it had been nearly ten trine ago when that smile left to sail the Silver Sea with the Sifan Gelfling named Onica.

Brea stood up quickly, blinking as though to make sure that she was seeing correctly.

"Tavra?"

The smile on her sisters face widened, reaching her eyes as she held out her arms. That was all it took for Brea to forget all court formalities as she ran forwards, practically tumbling into her older sisters arms.

All of the nearby Paladins looked away, giving the two sisters a moment of privacy. For once, Brea didn't have anything to say as she hugged her sister tightly, holding her as though the moment they let go she would leave to the open seas once more.

When they did part, however, Tavra was still there. She chuckled, nudging Breas cheek.

"You have so much ink on your face."

The youngest Vapran princess chuckled to herself as she pulled a small, stained rag from her pocket, quickly wiping the ink away. She looked expectantly at Tavra.

"Better?"

"Better."

As Brea opened her mouth to say something, Tavra raised a hand to stop her.

"We can talk more later. I came to find you for a meeting with the Sifan patron lord."

Once more, Brea found herself at a loss for words. Twice in one day, a new record. She remembered the Sifan lord, skekSa the Mariner, very well. A large, towering Skeksis, yet one that Brea could only describe as kind, jolly even.

In privacy, she might even say that skekSa seemed like a fun Skeksis.

She had only met her once; the day Tavra left, the same day that Seladon proclaimed that Tavra was stripped of her title as princess, as well as all the honors that come with it. As much as Brea protested, it was done, and Tavra left, no longer a princess or paladin and, to Seladon, no longer a sister.

Yet as they walked through the halls, towards the throne room, Brea couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at how happy Tavra looked, even if she seemed to have gained a bit of a belly.

She hoped they could talk before her sister left once again.

\---

The mountain of treasures tumbled down, leaving the Grottan Maudra to yell in surprise. It tumbled in front of her, barely missing her as it left a large cloud of dust in its wake. Coughing aloud and waving the dust away, she looked around the room. As clearly as she could see in the dark cavern, she still had to squint as the dust stung at her eyes.

"UrLii? Are you there?" She called out, carefully stepping over the many rusted and broken treasures.

Just as she was about to take the final step over the large mess, a figure towered over her. Startled and still unable to see through the dust, she began to fall backwards, only to be caught by a familiar yet unfamiliar hand that grabbed her arm, keeping her balanced.

"Be careful, Deethra. UrLii isn't always going to be here to keep you on your toes."

Blinking more as the dust cleared, Deet had to crane her neck up. The voice was familiar, as were all the little trinkets and baubles that hung from the now dark brown hair, but everything else about the Mystic that kept himself holed away within the Tomb of Relics was… Different.

"You changed." Was all Deet could get out, still gobsmacked to see the usually hunched over Mystic now towering over her, as tall as a few of the piles within the Tomb.

"UrLii got a haircut." He responded nonchalantly, already turning around to go back to his small hut.

Gasping, Deet quickly began to follow after him, careful to step over the remaining fallen pile of treasures.

"Wait, urLii! I came to talk to y-" the outstretched hand stopped Deet from talking.

Sighing, she dug through her pockets before pulling out a small blue trinket shaped vaguely like glow moss. UrLii took it, holding it up to the light skeptically.

"Rather ugly."

"It was Maudra Argots."

"UrLii loves it." He responded flatly, already tying the blue trinket to his hair, his other hair accessories making a clattering sound as he did so.

Sighing in relief and thankful that Maudra Argot kept so many treasures for appeasing urLii before she returned to Thra, Deet continued following after the Storyteller, talking as they went into the hut and sat down.

"Anyways, as I was saying, I need to talk to you! You see, there was this light and-"

"UrLii knows."

"It was a really bright light and so surprising, so I went to talk to the Sanctuary Tree-"

"Ta?"

"Oh, yes please. And the Sanctuary Tree told me there was a big change coming and that I should talk to you, so here I am!" Deet finished excitedly, somehow never losing breath as she talked.

The only noises that came from urLii was the clattering of his hair knickknacks and the quiet noise of cups being placed on his small rock table, a hot pot of ta already set up, almost as if urLii had been expecting company.

Deet didn't say anything further as urLii poured the two cups and sat down, still hunching over despite there being more than enough room to sit up fully in the abode. Whether he hunched out of habit or comfort, the Maudra couldn't say.

Once the ta was poured, the two sipped at it. Deet had learned the hard way that you couldn't force urLii to talk. He would talk when he wanted to talk, not when others wanted him to. It could be frustrating, but she had grown used to his antics over the past few trine as Maudra.

She was glad that the Storyteller made the best ta in all of Grot, otherwise waiting so long would be much more unpleasant.

Her cup was halfway empty when urLii cleared his throat. Loudly. A bit annoyed, but that happened. Seems that despite looking so young, he was still a bit of a cranky fossil.

"UrLii won't repeat himself, so listen well, Deethra."

\---

As Captain of the guards, Rian was never nervous. There was no time to be nervous when the Lords needed to be protected and when there were so many guards to keep to their posts and regiments.

Yet Rian couldn't help but tremble, his heart in his throat as he slowly walked down the halls. The entire guard had been told to stay out of the Castle today, something that Rian had ensured quickly despite being given no reason for the day off, even convincing his rather nosy wife to stay home today.

Thankfully, she was far enough in her pregnancy that Mira didn't have much room to argue. The rest would do her some good, anyways.

He couldn't help but think of his wife and unborn child as he slowly walked down one of many hallways forbidden to the Gelfling, even the Captain of the guard.

A hallway that led right to the Crystal of Truth that the Skeksis lords have sworn to guard for eternity.

Back in his youth, Rian would have perhaps sneaked a few steps down the halls on a dare. Not far enough to get into trouble, just enough to quell that rebellious nature of his that was so strong. After he became Captain, so much as glancing down this hall had become a childlings dream.

'I should turn back.' He thought to himself, though he never did.

If it wasn't for Mother Aughra herself approaching him, Rian would have never dared come down these halls. Yet, approach him she did, nearly an unum ago. She was vague in a way that only the mother of Thra could be, talking of shards and plans and something about Urskers or something similar. It was hard to remember all of the specifics when Aughra was being so confusing.

Why she approached him of all Gelfling and why she had asked him to go to the Crystal today of all days, Rian didn't know. A part of him wanted to tell the Skeksis lords what Aughra had told him, what she wanted him to do.

Yet another part, a stronger part of him told him to trust her, to listen. She was Mother Aughra, after all, and she wouldn't steer him wrong…

Is what he thought until he reached the gaping entrance and was greeted with eleven angry, feathery, young looking Skeksis, all quickly screeching when they saw him.

"What is a Gelfling doing here?!"

"Captain Rian, explain yourself!"

"Quiet, Skeksis, quiet!" Aughra crowed, her voice somehow being able to be louder than eleven squawking voices.

That seemed to quiet the Lords, though Rian still looked on in terror, feeling only regret, fear, and his heart beating faster than a landstrider. He would surely lose his title as Captain for this, if he was lucky.

"Come, Gelfling, Aughra brought you here to listen. Was supposed to listen to one plan, but plans change. Aughra can change with plans, so can Gelfling." She looked around the room, her eyes seeming to pierce into every Skeksis' being, "And so can Skeksis."

Though he was apprehensive, Rian still took careful steps forward. He kept his eyes trained on Aughra, worried that if he looked at one of the Lords he would turn to stone on the spot.

As he approached, he felt… At ease by the warmth that emanated from the room, no doubt by the pure Crystal at the center. As afraid as he was, Rian also felt immense respect for the Lords to have taken on the burden of caring for something so treasured and beloved as the Crystal of Truth, and caring for it as well as they had for so long.

Once he reached the front of the Skeksis, Rian stopped. He was given a fairly wide berth, which he was… Mostly thankful for. It seemed the General was sticking very closely to him, and if the Captain looked, he would see angry eyes boring down on him as though to will him to burst into flames.

Depending on what Aughra had to say, perhaps bursting in the flames would be the safest idea for the Gelfling Captain.

Grunting affirmatively, Aughra looked once more to the Skeksis and, much softer than the scolding look the Lords earned, she looked to Rian.

"Now, Aughra can really talk."


	6. The Mourning Of Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What the Crystal has done and the changes it has caused are already coming to light in many ways.

Paladins quickly opened the doors to the Citadel throne room, rushing Brea and Tavra inside. There was no grand announcement when they entered, though all eyes within the room fell on the Vapran sisters.

Aside from the Paladins, there was only Seladon, the Mariner, and… Another creature that Brea didn't quite recognize, yet one that Tavra smiled warmly at.

"Good, you're here, Brea." Seladon practically hissed through her teeth, barely concealing the daggers she was glaring into Tavra.

With a wide smile, The Mariner turned around fully and Brea had a million and one questions through her mind.

During her previous meeting with the Mariner, she had been as tall and imposing as she is now, but skekSa was also… So much grayer compared to how she looked now. Brea felt entranced at how vivid her feathers were, how bright her eyes seemed, how the Mariner seemed even taller than the first meeting.

Feeling a tug on her wrist, Brea gasped and looked, realizing that Tavra was trying to nudge her along and, judging by both the sly look from the Mariner and the angry look from Seladon, Brea had been staring at the Skeksis lord.

That was a conversation she wasn't looking forward to with Seladon later, but that could wait until after… Whatever they were all going to talk about.

"Ah, good 't see you again, little princess." SkekSa spoke to Brea as they approached.

Blushing a bit that the lord remembered her, Brea began to bow before Tavra stopped her.

"There's no need for that, sister."

"Yes, none of that. I've been finding it… Let's just say, unappealing." SkekSa sneered, earning a small irritated look from the unnamed creature with hair as unruly as the Mariners feathers.

With a quiet "oh", Brea lifted her head.

Only to look down to the ground and to purse her lips in a desperate attempt to not laugh after seeing Seladons face. She looked as angry as a Podling in a bath and even Tavra was snickering at the sight.

Once the two were close enough, the other creature beside skekSa approached the two, blowing the hair out of its eyes.

"Hello again, Tavra. I take it this is the Brea you've spoken so much about?" With the hair out of the way and the swirls evident, Brea realized she was in the presence of a Mystic, a creature thought of as only a story, like the beast of the Endless Forest or the death bringers of the Circle of the Suns.

"That she is. Sister, this is urSan the Swimmer, the Mariners other half."

Brea did a double take and looked between the Mariner and the Swimmer. She hadn't heard the news of the Skeksis lord taking a mate, let alone one that is a creature of legend.

When did they get together? For how long? Did they have children?

With a huff, skekSa tisked at both Tavra and urSan.

"Goodness, you two are confusing the poor thing. UrSan, you know more about this than I do, so get on with the explanation."

The Swimmer turned around, and though Brea couldn't see her face, she could only imagine how it looked based on how wide Seladons eyes got and how she seemed to shrink under the gaze in the same way she would shrink under their mothers.

Yet the Mariner only rolled her eyes and grumbled at the look.

"Ugh… Please?"

That seemed to please the Swimmer, who hummed approvingly before stepping back a bit to address all in the room better.

"Even I do not know all, but here is what I do know…"

\---

"... Which led us here, where Skeksis were so foolish that you withered away, barely skin and bones!" Aughra finished, leaving the room strangely quiet.

Most of the Skeksis had been in a bit of an uproar at the beginning when Aughra started her tale with the creatures known as 'Urskeks', but one by one they had all quieted until now. Even skekUng and skekVar, two of the most outspoken Skeksis, were silent.

For all the silence outside, Rians head was buzzing with the new information and also realizing that so much of his life, of everyones life… Was a lie.

The Skeksis were no rulers. They were the ones responsible for the plague that had happened that only ended ten trine ago. They twisted the Crystal until it was only a shell of its former self. They had massacred so many creatures to oblivion, ones that Rian will never know.

At first, he didn't want to believe it, and was even as worked up as the Skeksis around him. But then Aughras words were hitting harder and the Skeksis were growing more quiet. The fact that none spoke up even now, when Aughra was giving them more than enough time to speak, was the nail in the coffin for Rian.

He practically leapt out of his skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He wished he had done so when he looked up to the General, who was still glaring down at him.

"Stand up straight, Captain." SkekVar muttered quietly, straightening Rians back before giving the shoulder a quick squeeze, then letting go.

For a moment, all Rian could do was blink at the General. When he noticed a few other Skeksis were beginning to look, he quickly turned back to Aughra, unsure of what to make of the exchange.

The mother of Thra looked to Rian, her eye softening from the chastising look she had been giving the Skeksis during the entire retelling of the true history of Thra.

"Brave Rian, you shall play your part in spreading the truth across Thra." The Skeksis began to get into a tizzy once again before Aughra practically barked at them, raising her hand and silencing them once more before continuing. "But, that shall not happen now. Now is the time the Skeksis know of the price they have paid, and the gift they have been given."

\---

This was not right.

The hunt was all skekMal knew, his way of life. He never understood the goings on in the court and actively detested the way his brethren went about with itchy silks and feigning kindness. The warmth of blood was better understood than the warmth of a bed to the Hunter.

Yes, the hunt was all he knew, and he never gave up on a hunt in all his hundreds of trine of life.

Yet when he had stalked through the woods after awakening, finding himself younger and full of a vigor he hadn't had since the beginning, skekMal was more than excited to test his new strength on the next unsuspecting victim, whispers of light be damned.

He had found it easy enough; a Gelfling in the woods, playing some annoying, y shaped instrument. A male with black hair, one that looked indistinguishable from most other Gelfling.

Even as he played, skekMal could see the way his ears twitched, how he would quiet and even stop playing at even the slightest noise.

As fun as it would be to throw a knife at his head and kill him outright, skekMal was in the mood for a one on one fight. Even though the Gelfling had no chance of survival, the fight would be enjoyable, and would give the Hunter an indicator as to how his new strength was.

So, he pounced, the Gelfling barely able to get a scream out as the Hunter pinned him down, talons already wound around the pathetic creatures neck.

One squeeze was all it would take for the neck to snap completely. The Gelfling writhed under skekMal, kicking and grasping at the Hunters hands with their nubby fingers as their face grew red.

One squeeze, just as skekMal had done hundreds of time in the past, taking great pleasure in the way the life left a creatures eyes before he took a trophy of their strength.

Now, all skekMal had was a feeling of 'not right'. He never enjoyed thinking of his own emotions. Others were easy to read, especially those sniveling Castle Skeksis.

Yet skekMal sat on the log where the Gelfling had sat playing his y shaped instrument, looking at his talons that had killed so many lives that they always smelled of blood.

The talons that had pricked into the skin of the Gelfling when their lips began to turn blue, when they began to struggle less.

The talons that had let go. He was silent, untrusting of the voice that told his prey to leave. Closing his eyes, lest he recall the Gelfling running away into the woods.

He could still smell them, could easily track them down before they ever reach a village. Yet his legs didn't move, his arms didn't reach, his talons were not piercing through flesh to find the perfect piece of bones to add to his trophies.

When skekMal finally stood, the smell of the Gelfling was still strong to his nose. He turned the opposite way and began to trek through the forest, his aim the Castle that he hates so much.

The fools there had done something that had caused such a… Change in him, and skekMal needed answers.

Needed answers as to what was not right.

\---

"Acceptance into Thra?" UrSol questioned aloud, daring to ask what all the Urru were wondering.

"Yes, that is the simplest way I can describe it." UrSu wheezed out, trying his hardest to keep his eyes open.

The other Urru were quiet, looking amongst themselves in hopes that one of them had the answers to the questions on their minds.

When none spoke up, the Ritual Guardian turned to the Master, clearing his throat before speaking.

"Forgive me, Master, but perhaps it is better if there is clarification?" He asked.

The other Urru nodded amongst themselves in unanimous agreement, even urMa, who was still by urSus side, loathe to go far for even a moment.

They stopped nodding when urSu sighed. He sighed often, but it had a different tone from usual. It wasn't a tired sigh or an ill sigh, it wasn't even a mournful sigh.

It was an exasperated one, a noise the Master hadn't made since their beginnings and figuring out their lives.

Even so, he collected himself as best he could and continued to speak.

"The Skeksis' dark experiments on the Crystal of Truth left it… Weak." UrSu made a pained expression at the last word, and a collective hush fell over the other Urru, all feeling much more intensely the meaning behind what the Master said.

"Even when it became whole, nearly a thousand trine of such constant damage…" UrSu began coughing weakly again, but didn't finish even after he stopped.

It was the Healer that spoke up finally, finishing the Masters sentence for him.

"It is a miracle the Crystal even survived this long."

UrSu nodded sadly before speaking quietly, "Yes. And the strength it had to separate us was not nearly enough to bring us back together."

"Then, why had Thra accepted us, rather than get rid of us altogether?" UrTih questioned, earning some very concerned looks from the other Urru.

For a moment, urSu pondered the question, before lowering his head further onto his bed, clearly worn out.

"That… Is an answer only Mother Aughra can give us." He mumbled out.

The other Urru solemnly agreed amongst themselves, though a few were clearly impatient and began to talk amongst themselves, even as the Master started to snore.

Seeing that nerves were frayed and so much was still unknown, urMa decided to finally let go of the Masters hand to address his fellow Mystics.

"What we do know is that Thra has accepted us and, in the process, has made us and the Skeksis whole beings. From here, we can learn for ourselves what life has in store." The Peacemaker looked around as he finished, trying to ease his own nervousness.

That managed to quiet a few of the more antsy Urru, who knew that what the Peacemaker said was true.

Even so, the Chanter had one final question that had been scratching at his mind, one he couldn't let go of in the moment.

"If we are whole beings, are we… Still linked with our dark halves?"

\---

The small cottage was quiet as Deet stared at her still half empty cup while urLii sipped on his third glass of ta.

"Is Deethra still listening?" He asked, already pouring himself a fourth glass.

"Oh, yes! Sorry, this is just… A lot." She took off her hat, scratching the back of her head in thought.

With a sigh and a nod, urLii continued to sip on his ta.

"UrLii knows. UrLii doesn't like it."

"Why not?" Deet asked.

Tapping his glass and huffing, the Storyteller was quiet with only his thoughts. Deet took the chance to sip on her own ta, still enjoying the taste despite how it had grown cold.

When he was finally ready to speak, urLii took in a deep breath before letting it out slowly, instantly getting Deets undivided attention. He never did so unless he was about to say something of true importance. Or true annoyance.

"Before, urLii was more than happy to trudge around forever. Everything bland, everything sad, urLii liked it and got used to it. Now…" he went quiet again, tapping his glass as he thought, one of his hands idly waving in an attempt to find the right way to finish the sentence before finding it.

"Restless. Yes, that's a good word."

"Restless?" Deet asked, never thinking that restless would ever be associated with the Storyteller.

UrLii poured his fifth glass of ta. Despite holding her own glass out, the Maudra didn't get another glass. Whether because she was being ignored or unnoticed, she didn't know.

"Before, emotions were always skewed, for both Skeksis and Urru. Everything was always balanced in the worst ways." UrLii chugged his ta, despite how it was still steaming.

He poured his sixth glass. Deet tried to mumble out her concerns, but the Storyteller continued talking.

"For everything Skeksis felt, Urru felt opposite. For everything Urru felt, Skeksis felt opposite." He spoke, his voice growing louder with every passing word, his hand clenching around his small glass.

He poured his seventh glass as Deet watched, a growing fear gnawing at her stomach as she backed into her chair as much as she could.

"Now, everything feels everything as it was meant to feel. A big change, which urLii doesn't like." He yelled his name as he chugged his glass once more.

He went to pour an eighth only to find the pot empty. He tensed further and shattered his cup in his hand, the shards flying all about the room.

Finally, it was quiet, save for urLiis harsh breaths. Taking a moment to calm herself, Deet looked around the room for the pieces before turning back to the Storyteller. He wasn't looking at her, instead he just stared at the table, clutching the teapot tightly to his chest.

His eyes filled with a hurt that didn't come from being out of ta.

With a resigned sigh, he set the teapot on the table before putting his arms back to his side, slouching further.

"Like that. UrLii doesn't like feeling like that."

\---

"When Urskeks split, they made two halves, light and dark. Skeksis were the darkness that Urskeks tried to dispel, and Mystics were the light they tried to live by." Aughra turned to the Skeksis around her, seeing many different reactions before continuing.

"Now, Thra has accepted Skeksis and Mystics, made them whole, despite all Skeksis have done. For why… Aughra doesn't feel like sharing."

A few Skeksis looked to one another, others were gobsmacked, and a few of the more academically gifted were wracking their brains in an attempt to find the answer that the mother of Thra did not wish to share.

SkekUng was none of these Skeksis, and instead yelled to Aughra, his voice echoing in the large room.

"You said we would get answers, witch!"

"You will, just not that one." She retorted without batting an eye.

Though he wasn't satiated, skekUng at least stopped yelling, choosing instead to glare and growl at Aughra.

Clearing his throat, a few heads turned to the Ritual Master.

"Mother Aughra, if I may ask; what do you mean by 'made whole'?" He asked, the title of 'Mother Aughra' sounding almost completely sincere.

Thinking for a moment, Aughra shrugged as she looked to skekZok.

"As Aughra says. Skeksis and Mystics never had the full picture, only half each."

"Would you just get on with it?!" SkekUng roared again, spitting harsh enough that his drool almost hit Aughra.

Once again, Aughra didn't bat an eye, only looking at the Arathim Master with an unamused look. The only noise in the room was the sound of his growling until he finally quieted, settling on huffing at her instead.

That seemed to please Aughra, who hummed calmly. Rian barely kept from laughing.

"Now that you are done; Skeksis, Thra has made you complete. Emotions, strength, magic, all has been balanced within you."

The mention of magic earned a few surprised looks as Aughra continued.

"As such, Skeksis have no tether to Mystics. Skeksis will not age, but Skeksis can still get hurt. Can still die."

Though they all visibly tensed at the mention of death, skekUng had a clearly dark glint in his eyes.

"What's to keep us from just killing those blasted Mystics like we've wanted to for so long?" He sneered, goading Aughra on.

For a moment, Rian looked to the Arathim Master and put his hand on his sword, ready to stop the Skeksis should they turn on Aughra, or any other creature. Yet he stopped when he looked back to the Mother of Thra.

There was a unanimous hush over the room as Aughra looked at him, her eyes calm yet sad.

"Yourselves."

\---

"I will not have this!" SkekSo yelled, his voice crackly and weak.

Raunip groaned loudly, running his hands down the unscarred part of his face.

"You won't have a say in this." He groaned, fed up with his current situation.

"I am the Emperor, I am-"

"Going to die if you keep pushing yourself." Raunip interrupted, earning a visible wince from skekSo.

When there was no reply and Raunip had only the Emperors wheezes and glares, he sighed, rubbing his good eye.

"Neither you Skeksis nor the Mystics have ever experienced being whole."

That earned a scoff and a short cough from the ill Skeksis as he rolled his eyes before looking back at Raunip.

"You keep going on about 'wholeness'. Tell me, Raunip the Heretic; What exactly was I missing before?"

Though skekSo took enjoyment in the way Raunips face dropped at the mention of his cursed title that had been lost to time, the enjoyment was not nearly as much as he thought, and instead was accompanied by a sort of pit in his stomach.

A detestable feeling that the Emperor hoped was nothing more than the work of the illness that plagues his body.

When Raunip turned around, skekSo relaxed, expecting him to leave the room.

Instead, he went to one of the Emperors tables and grabbed something unseen. When he approached, skekSo feared for his life upon seeing a knife.

Even he knew all too well that he didn't have the strength to fend off a fizzgig, let alone an angry son of Aughra.

Yet the blade was turned and the hilt presented to skekSo.

"Take this knife and stab me."

When the hilt was taken in the Emperors shaky hands, Raunip held his hand closely to the tip. Not close enough to touch, but close enough that all the Emperor would have to do is push the blade forward.

He did, slowly, still trying to ignore the ever growing pit in his stomach and how much more his hands shook the closer the blade got.

He had done worse than stabbing hands, far worser still to his own kind many times over. The memories of such acts of brutality did not bring him comfort and instead made the pit in his stomach twist and gnaw, the feeling spreading into his chest.

The blade reached Raunips palm, but skekSo could go no further. He tried, he willed everything he had to stop the shaking, ignore the pit, ignore that feeling of wrongness.

Yet he could not push the blade to draw blood.

"You can't do it, can you?" Raunip asked quietly, earning no answer as he took the knife, the Emperor practically handing it back.

"Morality. Right and wrong, good and evil. You and all your kind have lived with the inability to truly feel, through no fault of your own." He spoke as he returned the knife before looking back at skekSo, who was staring at his hands as though confused.

"It will not excuse the heinous things your kind has done, and I'm sure the residents of Thra will be none too pleased to learn what you have truly been doing during your reign." That earned another visible flinch from the Emperor, making his eyes look more lost as they stared holes into his hands.

"But there is no need for an Emperor, no need for Lords of the Crystal." Raunip finished, still watching skekSo.

His hands were still being stared at as though they could see what Raunip could not. His body still trembled, and Raunip knew that it was not entirely because of the illness that plagued the Skeksis' body.

Then, it happened for only a split second. Something passed through skekSos eyes that made his fists clench tightly, almost as if he had realized something.

Then, they unclenched and laid weakly on the bed. The swirling purple that were skekSos eyes seemed to grey, leaving him looking even weaker than before.

Slowly and feebly, skekSo grabbed his mucus covered blankets and pulled them over his shoulder as he slowly laid all the way down on what had been his deathbed mere moments ago, turning his back to Raunip.

"I am tired and wish to sleep. Leave me." He spoke, his voice lacking any emotion.

Mechanical, unfeeling. A facade, Raunip knew, but he worried that if he pushed too far, than skekSo would truly end up doing something reckless enough for his already weak health to fail completely.

Looking to the knife on the table once more, Raunip grabbed it, tucking it in his robe pocket as he left without another word.

\---

"Did we fail?" SkekGra questioned quietly from his spot on the rocks outside, fidgeting with the large nail in his hands.

Sat next to him, running his fingers through the new feathers on the Heretic, urGoh nodded slower than usual.

"In… a sense…"

The sound of talon on nail grated on urGohs ears, much more sensitive now. He didn't say anything as he watched how skekGra looked forward and grated his talons on the nail, trying to collect his thoughts.

"I still want it." He spoke quietly, "The wholeness… This is, I know this is what it would feel like. It feels… Different from how it has been." SkekGra gestured to their home, their cave.

UrGoh nodded, choosing to rest his hand on the Skeksis' shoulder.

"But this, this isn't… It feels right and wrong at the same time."

SkekGra moved his hands wildly around as he spoke, reminiscent of their puppet show.

UrGoh made a note on discussing whether to discard the Urskek puppet before realizing skekGra had finished talking, now glancing at the Wanderer, hoping for any input.

Clearing his throat, urGoh sat up a bit before hunching back down, disliking how he is now taller than his Skeksis.

"We are no longer… Two halves… As we were before…" urGoh spoke solemnly, taking his hand from skekGras shoulder and resting it in his lap instead.

Looking out to the sands, skekGras eyes widened before becoming lidded as he swallowed back the lump in his throat.

"Gragoh is dead, aren't they?" He asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper and warmly.

They both knew the answer already, yet neither had spoken as much aloud.

He didn't want to say it, because saying it would solidify the truth for them. But urGoh knew that skekGra wouldn't be able to.

"Yes…" He finally said, his voice barely a whisper.

They both went quiet, both looking at the sands as they quietly cried, for the death of what they once were.

The sands glistened under the suns light, the winds the only sound between the two until something shuffled from behind.

The Heretics tail rested, its tip atop the Wanderers own tail.

"And skekGra and urGoh?" SkekGra asked quietly, still not looking at urGoh even as his tail rested a bit more on the Wanderers.

Wasting no time, urGoh wrapped his own tail, allowing the two to become intertwined. Loosely, but close enough for the reminder that they were both there and still had each other.

"They are still… here…"

Though urGoh began to give a small smile, it immediately fell as the tails became unbound and skekGra turned to him fully, hands already waving.

"Don't you feel different, urGoh? We- we aren't supposed to be like this!" He gestured to them both.

"We are supposed to be whole as a single being! Bright, wonderful, a being all its own!" SkekGra spoke so excitedly, yet so pained at the same time as he looked down to his body.

"We aren't supposed to…" He stopped talking and put his arms down before throwing his head back and groaning loud enough for his voice to be heard all the way at the Wellspring.

"I don't know if I'm more upset that we aren't… An Urskek, or if I'm more upset that a small part of me…" SkekGra put his head down, looking miserable.

"Is okay… Being like this?" UrGoh finished the question, tilting his head at his Skeksis.

With an equally miserable nod, skekGra layed back on the rocks, arms splayed out as he stared at the sky.

"What will you do now, urGoh?" He asked, tilting his head to look at the Wanderer.

UrGoh looked out to the desert for a moment before stretching and crawling over to skekGra before slumping his head down on the Heretics arm, his own arms splaying out as he once again wound his tail around his Skeksis'.

"Lay right here… for a while…" urGoh replied, mumbling as he scooted closer towards the Heretic.

Looking back to the sky, skekGra moved closer to urGoh, wrapping his tail tighter and smiling.

"... I think I'll do the same."


	7. Gelfling begin to move

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the Gelfling have learned of the truth, they all take their first step towards change.

The Crystal Chamber was empty, save for Aughra, Raunip, and Rian. After the mother of Thra was done explaining as best she could what had happened, she told the other Skeksis to leave, take some time for themselves and to think about their lives.

A few left the moment she gave them leave, while others, such as skekUng and skekNa, kept pestering her with questions and threats until they had none left to say and left on their own, huffing all the way down the halls.

Rian had also tried sneaking out, yet was quickly stopped by Aughra, who insisted they talk alone.

He felt much more relaxed when the other Skeksis left, yet there was still tension lingering in the air. Whether it was because he was still processing all the information given or the way the Arathim Master looked at him with pure hate, the Captain couldn't quite decide.

"So, brave Rian. Come, tell Aughra your thoughts." Aughra spoke, startling Rian from his daydreaming.

Thinking it over, Rian was finding it hard to compose his thoughts together. How does one talk about how their whole life, and society as a whole, is a lie? That he and all other Gelfling had been manipulated for years? How hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions have died for-

The warm hand on his shoulder eased Rian as he looked up, seeing the friendly, scarred face of Raunip. He gave a soft, knowing smile. So unlike the whispers of the awful Heretic son of Aughra that had been mere legends for so long. Rian also wondered how much truth was behind those tall tales.

"You do not need to figure this all out today. It is quite a lot to take in all at once." Raunip gave a side glance to his mother at the end before looking back to Rian and giving a small shake of his shoulder.

"Haha, yes, it is quite a lot… If I may ask," Rian looked behind Raunip to Aughra, "what did you mean when you said I will 'play my part'?"

Raunip moved to the side as Aughra approached the two. He whispered something to his mother before leaving the room, leaving Rian and Aughra alone.

Despite how intimidating she had been with the Skeksis, Rian couldn't help but feel comfortable around her. She looked at him the way most mothers look at their own children. In a sense, Rian was her child, and he felt that it would be hard to turn down whatever request she asked of him.

Not impossible to turn her down, but he would first have to see what she would be asking of him, for the second time.

She smiled warmly at him and ran her rough hand against his cheek, right where his scar was.

"Much damage has been done by Skeksis. Many lives suffered…"

Rian put his head down, remembering not only all she had told, but of the plague they had that lasted for ten trine.

Nobody knew what caused it, all they knew is that it withered away even the more supple of farmlands, turned animals mad, made Gelfling ill… And it caused the great resurgence of the Arathim.

Rian had blamed that plague alone for taking his father, for causing Mira to lose their first child, for scarring Rians face and hurting so many others. To know now that it was the Skeksis' meddling, their twisted ways…

The light slap on his cheek made Rian realize how tightly his fist was clenched, his nails digging into his palms. He looked to Aughra, who gave him a stern gaze.

"You mustn't give into your anger, Rian. The Skeksis will pay for what they have done, but it is not your role to make them pay."

She rubbed where she had slapped before turning away, gazing at the Crystal of Truth, basking in its warmth. Though he felt some comfort in her words, Rian could not completely quell his anger and frustrations.

"Then what is my role, Mother Aughra?" He asked, much louder than he meant to.

Though she didn't turn around, Aughra did grunt before raising a hand, lightly touching the Crystal.

"To travel through Thra, spreading the truth. As will I, and my son." She spoke softly as she ran her hand down the Crystal, a soft hum reverberating through the chamber.

Despite how calming the hum was, Rian couldn't help but sigh as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Mother Aughra, the Gelfling are unlikely to believe the words of only the three of us." He muttered, though his voice echoed in the mostly empty chamber.

Aughra tilted her head to look at Rian, a knowing smile gracing her face.

"You are not alone as you think, Rian."

\---

The final piece of the cup was carefully picked up and held in Deets hand. She slowly got up from the ground and took the shards, placing them in a spare bowl on urLiis counter. He was loathe to let anything go, no matter how broken and useless it may be.

Turning back to the Storyteller, she looked at him with concern. He was still clutching the teapot close and was fiddling with the small trinket Deet had given him. It truly was an ugly thing, even to Deet. Yet urLii kept messing with it and touching it as though it was the most priceless thing in existence.

As quietly as she could, she tiptoed out of the abode. She saw urLii tilt his head to look at her before he looked away, his head cast down again as he kept fiddling with that trinket.

Once she was out, she let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She may have only gotten to know urLii over the past three trine, but she knew that he preferred being alone when he was in a foul mood. He once didn't acknowledge her for a full unum due to his mood.

As much as she wanted to help and comfort him, she kept away for his sake and began her trek out of the Tomb of Relics and to confer with the Sanctuary Tree as to what the next best option may be.

And to just process all she had learned.

\---

Under most other circumstances, Brea would be taking immense joy in the way Seladon resembled a sogfish out of water. Her mouth was gaping open and she kept looking as though she was going to say something, only for no words to come out.

Under most other circumstances, Brea wouldn't be feeling like a sogfish out of water. She felt as though she was out of air, like her mind was flopping around, one question after another after another splashing away in her wake.

The Skeksis, Mystics, their whole society, it was just… 

"Brea?"

Tavras concerned voice broke through Breas thoughts before they could begin to tumble and spiral into so many questions that she would never have enough time to ask, even in a hundred trine.

Swallowing hard after finding her mouth dry, Brea stuttered with her words for a moment.

"T-this is just… Quite a lot to take in."

Most within the room nodded solemnly, even skekSa and urSan.

"Indeed it is." Tavra acknowledged quietly.

With a tsk, skekSa tapped her foot against the ground and ran her talons through her feathers.

"You would have been better suited sitting for this. Especially you, Tavra. I know you're not far along, but-"

"Are you pregnant?!" Seladon yelled, her voice echoing in the throne room.

All eyes turned to Tavra. She and urSan both were giving skekSa annoyed looks.

"Ah, I see you hadn't told them yet." The Mariner looked everywhere except at the annoyed Gelfling and Mystic.

Everyone startled when Seladon stood from her throne, her feet stomping on the ground.

"I cannot believe it, first you leave with the Sifa and now you're pregnant from one?!" She yelled at Tavra, not even trying to hide her disgust as she took a step forward and looked as though she may attack her estranged sister.

Brea moved to stand in front of Tavra, but was quickly overshadowed by the Mariner standing in front instead, towering over a now cowering Seladon.

"Do you have a problem with my Sifan Gelfling, All-Maudra?" She asked, her voice low and laced with venom.

The Paladins looked to one another and held their weapons close as Seladon backed up to her throne, clutching the arm rests for dear life as skekSa loomed over her.

"Ah, n-no, what I mean is-"

SkekSa raised her hand, quickly quieting Seladon, before looking behind to the rest of the room.

"Leave the room. All of you. I think the All-Maudra and I need to talk." The Mariner commanded.

The Paladins slowly left the room, and Tavra began to pull Brea out. UrSan, instead, approached skekSa and said something that neither sister could hear, but it earned a scoff and an eye roll from the irate Skeksis.

"She won't be hurt. We're just going to talk." She turned back to Seladon, placing her hand under the All-Maudras chin to make her look up, "In depth."

With a reluctant sigh, urSan left the room, also ushering Brea and Tavra out.

Once the sisters were alone in the awkwardly silent hallway, Brea couldn't help but turn to Tavra as she was brimming with new questions.

"Are you really…?" She gestured to her sister's stomach, earning a small chuckle from Tavra.

"I wanted to wait until Onica was here too. She doesn't know yet and I wanted to surprise you both." Tavra affectionately rubbed her stomach, smoothing down the wrinkles of her dress to show her small tummy bump better.

Thinking for a moment, Breas eyes lit up as she excitedly spoke.

"How about I act super surprised when you tell her?"

Tavra chuckled again as she brushed some stray hairs from Breas face.

"That will work."

"Ok, good! Now, where did the Mystic go? I have so many questions to ask her!" Brea asked loudly as she began to pull Tavra through the halls, both talking about their lives after so many trine as they began to look for the Swimmer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter, sorry! The next two are gonna be pretty long though!


End file.
